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Inch Country House & Restaurant

Contact Information

Inch Country House & Restaurant
The Egan Family
Thurles, Thurles,
Co.Tipperary

Telephone: +353 (0)504 51348
Email: mairin@inchhouse.ie
Web: inchhouse.ie

Eamonn de Valera was President when I was a child. A very old man at that stage, he was almost blind and was an austere and forbidding figure sitting up in the back of the old St...

Inch Country House & Restaurant
  • Inch Country House & Restaurant
  • Inch Country House & Restaurant
  • Inch Country House & Restaurant
  • Inch Country House & Restaurant

How to get there

Take the M8 to Cork and take exit to Thurles. From Thurles take Nenagh road R168 until you arrive at a small village The Ragg. Inch House is located on the left hand side 150m past the village.

Good to know

Opening Hours:
Tues - Sat
7 - 9 pm
Cuisine:
Modern Irish
A La Carte:
Tues - Thurs
Table d’Hote:
5 Course €60 Fri - Sat
Number of Covers:
50

About The Restaurant


Eamonn de Valera was President when I was a child. A very old man at that stage, he was almost blind and was an austere and forbidding figure sitting up in the back of the old State Car wearing a black hat. To me he was a terrifying sight and I didn’t like him at all. Well, whatever I thought about the man, he got his own back because when I got married I was in a fairly pressurised job and when we moved into our new house the timing of the move, arranged three months in advance, was down to seconds. The carpet layers were coming first along with the plumbers. De Valera upped and died and the Nation went into mourning. His funeral was on the day of the move, the carpet layers went out in sympathy, whilst the furniture removers from the old house didn’t, hence the furniture arrived first and the carpet layers arrived after dark much the worse for the wear……….

John and Nora Egan’s Inch House in Thurles sits proud in the middle of lush farmland with a drive up to the stately front door. The first thing you notice about Inch, is the meticulous care given to the pot plants outside the door – perfectly cared for but the second thing I noticed was the portrait of Dev over my bedroom door! Get John Egan talking about politics and you could have the fun of your life – he is gregarious and brilliant all in one. Nora laughs quietly in the background at the good of it all while she overseas this meticulous well cared for house. Their daughter Mairin, who has wide experience in the hospitality industry, has now also returned to base to help run this great house. Have a drink in the beautiful William Morris papered blue, white and gilt, drawingroom and listen to the local stories. The Restaurant attracts people from all over the place for the ample cracking food served by wonderful ladies who will look after you like a mother. There is an a la carte menu during the week and on Friday and Saturday they serve a five course Table d'hote menu which is lavish and delicious. Starters might include Cooleeney cheese wrapped in filo pastry, baked and served on plum chutney. They do a good seafood duo with Marie Rose sauce and a rather unusual deep fried avocado salad drizzled with Thai sweet chilli sauce and also a delicious timbale of crab and smoked salmon. Another favourite starter is a crown of roast pigeon served on salad. Tipperary is of course great farming land and you can always rely on the beef and the lamb at Inch House. Barbary duck breast with a fruit dressing is another lovely dish. Just recently Nora Egan launched her own black pudding which is proving very popular in restaurants around the country - there is also a coeliac variety available so check it out. The House was the former home of the Ryan family for hundred years– a great Tipperary name- and in fact shortly after I wrote about Inch House I had an email from the Ryans in New Zealand where they have now made there home. Have a look at the stained glass Ryan coat of arms on the staircase the family motto was “Death Before Dishonour”. The bedrooms are peaceful and comfortable and you will recline on the finest linen in a Prince Albert bed before coming down to a lavish breakfast in the magnificent diningroom again. It is a beautiful house on wonderful grounds and I can’t wait to get back there again. Please note this is a non-smoking house.

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